Plans for the nationwide installation of “smart” energy meters, which
automatically send suppliers data on gas and electricity usage, have been
delayed by more than a year.

Ministers want 50m smart meters installed across 30m homes and small businesses in a £12bn project that should spell the end of manual meter readings and estimated bills.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) had told energy suppliers they must begin the nationwide roll-out in summer 2014 but yesterday delayed that to autumn 2015 because crucial data and communications systems are not yet ready.

The completion date for the rollout has also been pushed back, to 2020 from 2019.

Ed Davey, energy secretary, said that after consultation with the industry, DECC had concluded “that more time was needed if the mass roll-out was to get off to the best possible start”.

Some companies have already begun installing smart meters and DECC said it would introduce new rules so that from the end of 2013 households with smart meters would be able to retain them even if they switched to a supplier that did not offer the meters.